Sagatsukasa Hiroyuki
Encyclopedia
Sagatsukasa Hiroyuki is a sumo
wrestler from Mishima
, Shizuoka Prefecture
, Japan
. His highest rank has been maegashira 9.
division wrestler Futeno, and also finished ahead of the future Asashoryu. He went onto Toyo University
, and turned professional in 2004. Joining Irumagawa stable
, he was below the official height requirement at just 166 cm but was accepted after passing a secondary examination. Initially fighting under his own surname of Isobe, he reached the second highest juryo division in November 2007. After changing his shikona
to Sagatsukasa he initially remained near the bottom of juryo and was demoted to makushita on several occasions. However he fought his way back and reached the top division in March 2010 after a 9-6 score at Juryo 1. He lasted only one tournament in makuuchi and a series of poor performances back in juryo saw him demoted to makushita once again. Returning to juryo in May 2011 he won the yusho
or championship with a 13-2 record and was promoted back to the top division. An 8-7 record in July saw him promoted to his highest rank to date of maegashira 9.
, oshi (pushing) and nage (throwing). His most common winning kimarite
in his career to date have been oshi dashi (push out), hiki otoshi (pull down) and tsuki otoshi (thrust over). In May 2011 he defeated Tochinowaka
with the spectacular ipponzeoi move, which had only been seen twice in the top division since 1974.
Sumo
is a competitive full-contact sport where a wrestler attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet. The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally...
wrestler from Mishima
Mishima, Shizuoka
is a city located in eastern Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of 2009, the city has an estimated population of 112,078 and a population density of 1,800 persons per km². The total area is 62.13 km²...
, Shizuoka Prefecture
Shizuoka Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Shizuoka.- History :Shizuoka prefecture was formed from the former Tōtōmi, Suruga and Izu provinces.The area was the home of the first Tokugawa Shogun...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. His highest rank has been maegashira 9.
Career
He won the title of high school Yokozuna in 1998 by defeating the future top makuuchiMakuuchi
or is the top division of professional sumo. Its size is fixed at 42 wrestlers , ordered into five ranks according to their ability as defined by their performance in previous tournaments....
division wrestler Futeno, and also finished ahead of the future Asashoryu. He went onto Toyo University
Toyo University
Toyo University is a university with several branches in Japan, including .- Overview :...
, and turned professional in 2004. Joining Irumagawa stable
Irumagawa stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Dewanoumi ichimon or group of stables. It was set up in 1992 by former sekiwake Tochitsukasa, who branched out from Kasugano stable. As of November 2007, the stable had 13 wrestlers...
, he was below the official height requirement at just 166 cm but was accepted after passing a secondary examination. Initially fighting under his own surname of Isobe, he reached the second highest juryo division in November 2007. After changing his shikona
Shikona
A shikona is a sumo wrestler's ring name.As with standard Japanese names, a shikona consists of a 'surname' and a 'given' name, and the full name is written surname first. However, the given name is rarely used outside formal or ceremonial occasions. Thus, the former yokozuna Asashōryū Akinori is...
to Sagatsukasa he initially remained near the bottom of juryo and was demoted to makushita on several occasions. However he fought his way back and reached the top division in March 2010 after a 9-6 score at Juryo 1. He lasted only one tournament in makuuchi and a series of poor performances back in juryo saw him demoted to makushita once again. Returning to juryo in May 2011 he won the yusho
Yusho
A Yūshō is a tournament championship in sumo. It is awarded in each of the six annual honbasho or official tournaments, to the wrestler who wins the most number of bouts. Yūshō are awarded in all six professional sumo divisions...
or championship with a 13-2 record and was promoted back to the top division. An 8-7 record in July saw him promoted to his highest rank to date of maegashira 9.
Fighting style
Sagatsukasa's Sumo Association profile lists his favoured techniques as kuisagari, an unusual move employed by shorter wrestlers that involves pushing the head against the opponent's chest and grabbing the front part of the mawashiMawashi
In sumo, a mawashi is the belt that the rikishi wears during training or in competition. Upper ranked professional wrestlers wear a keshō-mawashi as part of the ring entry ceremony or dohyo-iri.-Mawashi:...
, oshi (pushing) and nage (throwing). His most common winning kimarite
Kimarite
Kimarite are winning techniques in a sumo bout. For each bout in a Grand Sumo tournament , a sumo referee, or gyoji, will decide and announce the type of kimarite used by the winner...
in his career to date have been oshi dashi (push out), hiki otoshi (pull down) and tsuki otoshi (thrust over). In May 2011 he defeated Tochinowaka
Tochinowaka Michihiro
Tochinowaka Michihiro is a sumo wrestler from Hyogo, Japan. His father is a Zainichi Korean and his mother is a Korean immigrant. He made his professional debut in 2007 and has steadily risen through the ranks and has begun to establish himself as a top division presence...
with the spectacular ipponzeoi move, which had only been seen twice in the top division since 1974.